2016 Nearctic Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario will play host to the G2 Nearctic Stakes on Sunday, October 16. Horses three years old and upward will take to Woodbine's turf track and dash six furlongs for the winner's share of the $300,000 purse.

A field of eight will take to the track in the Nearctic Stakes - race 6 on Woodbine's stacked Sunday card. Post time is 3:48 PM. Here is a look into the past performances of all eight combatants for this intriguing G1 stakes.

2016 Nearctic Stakes Race Preview at Woodbine Racetrack

Full Mast 2-1 - Bill Mott trained colt has placed in six of nine career starts - four wins, a second and a third place finish. He won a Group 1 and a Group 3 race in France in 2014 and was out of racing for eight months before a second in the Group 3 Prix Paul de Moussac in June 2014. He followed that with a seventh in a Group 1 race a month later before being sidelined for another 11 months. Full Mast returned June 5 to an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Belmont Park - in his North American debut and has been OK in three starts since - a fourth last time out in the G1 Woodbine Mile September 17 followed a third in the minor Lure Stakes at Saratoga August 6 and a fourth on this track in the Grade 2 King Edward Stakes in July. He has been decent when healthy, is better at the short distances and will be after his first stakes win in two years Sunday. Joel Rosario has been tabbed to ride the morning line favorite from gate 2.

Conquest Enforcer 5-2 - has just six career starts for trainer Mark Casse with four nice wins and a third place finish. He debuted with a fourth in the G2 Summer Stakes in September and then reeled off three straight minor stakes scores - the Charlie Barley Stakes July 3, by 7 3/4 lengths in the Queenston Stakes May 21 and by 6 3/4 lengths in the Cup and Saucer Stakes in October - the latest two in gate-to-wire fashion. He has been good in two starts since as well - a win last time out in the minor Allied Forces Stakes at Belmont Park September 11 followed a respectable third in the G2 Play the King Stakes here August 20. Conquest Enforcer has been very good and will chase his first graded stakes score Sunday. Javier Castellano gets the call on the second betting choice from gate 6.

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Stacked Deck 4-1 - Canada's champion sprinter of 2015 - Barbara Mishall trained gelding enters off a nice win in the minor Ontario Jockey Club Stakes here September 11. That result followed a disappointing fifth in the G2 Connaught Cup here June 5, a runner-up finish behind Passion for Action as favorite in the G3 Vigil Stakes here May 7, a terrific win ahead of Passion for Action with a 103 Beyer Speed Figure in the G2 Kennedy Road Stakes here November 22, a tenth place finish on the biggest stage - the Breeders' Cup Turf, a respectable third in the G3 Woodford Stakes at Keeneland October 3 and a good win in the G3 Bold Venture Stakes on this track last September 13. He now has eight wins, a second and three third place finishes in 20 career starts and has placed in eight of his last 11 starts overall. He hopes to make in two straight stakes scores Sunday with Rafael Manuel Hernandez in the reins from gate 4 as the morning line third choice.

Passion for Action 6-1 - has six wins, four seconds and a third place finish in 18 career starts but has failed to place in his last two ahead of this weekend. Last time out was an eighth in the G1 Woodbine Mile September 17 after a fourth in the G2 Play the King Stakes here August 20. Before that was a good victory in the G2 Highlander Stakes here July 3, a win in the G3 Vigil Stakes with an impressive 103 Beyer Speed Figure on this track May 7, an OK second in the G2 Connaught Cup Stakes on this track June 5 and another win in the minor Jacques Cartier Stakes here April 9. Passion for Action was terrific on this track in the spring/early fall and will be out to rediscover that form Sunday. Eurico Rosa Da Silva has the mount from post 5.

Calgary Cat 8-1 - 2014 outstanding sprinter in Canada and third place finisher in this race that year has been up and down the last two years - nine wins, two seconds and two third place finishes in 17 starts. He has struggled most recently however - a fourth last time out in the minor Ontario Jockey Club Stakes here September 11 followed a fifth in the minor Troy Stakes at Saratoga August 20 and an OK third in the G3 Bold Venture Stakes on this track July 23. Before that was a nice win by 1 1/2 lengths in the minor Achievement Stakes here June 18, a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming May 21, an eighth in the Grade 2 Kennedy Road Stakes in November and a second in the 2015 Bold Venture Stakes - all on this track. He also had an impressive minor stakes scores here - the Ontario Jockey Club Stakes last August and the Achievement Stakes in July and he also won the 2014 G2 Kennedy Road Stakes on this track. Calgary Cat now has 11 wins, four seconds and three third place finishes in 26 career starts and arrives in so-so form. He tries to snap a three race losing streak and for his first graded stakes score in nearly two years. Luis Contreras has been tabbed to ride from post 7.

Divine 10-1 - Irish bred Mick Channon trained mare has five wins, three seconds and three third place finishes in 24 career starts. She makes her North American debut Sunday in less-than-spectacular form. A fifth last time out in a Group 2 Goldene Peitsche in Germany followed a seventeenth place finish in the Group 2 Qatar King George Stakes in July, an OK second in the Group 3 Hackwood Stakes July 16 and a fourth in the Group 3 Summer Stakes at York July 8. She won the Group 3 Ballyogan Stakes in June before that. Divine has been inconsistent and will be after a major breakthrough Sunday. Alexis Badel will be in the saddle from the rail.

Expected Ruler 15-1 - finished eleventh in both the G3 Iroquois Stakes and G3 Dixiana Bourbon Stakes to end his 2015 campaign and has been just OK since for trainer Liam Daniel Benson. Last time out was an Allowance score at Churchill Downs September 24 after consecutive fourths in minor stakes action - the Quick Call Stakes at Saratoga August 4 and the Select Stakes at Monmouth Park in June. He has placed in just two of his last eight starts and has three wins in nine career starts - not all that impressive ahead of this weekend. He leaves from the outside gate 8 with Florent Geroux aboard.

Springhouse 20-1 - has two wins, two seconds and a third place finish in 10 career starts for trainer Michael Keogh - all on this track. He makes his graded stakes debut on the heels of consecutive fourths in Allowance Optional Claiming races - the last coming October 1. Before that was an OK second in the minor Charlie Barley Stakes July 3 and an Allowance score in June. Springhouse steps up in less-than-spectacular form but hopes to make some noise Sunday. David Moran rides from post 3.

2016 Nearctic Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 6 on Woodbine's Sunday card with a Post Time of 3:48 PM.